As a passenger in a car, you are vulnerable to the decisions of the person driving your vehicle and others driving on the road with it. When you sustain a severe injury from a car crash while riding as a passenger, you may not be at fault, but you must deal with the consequences.
These are your options for filing a personal injury claim in New York state.
Claim under the auto insurance policy of your vehicle’s driver
New York is a no-fault state where drivers must carry a Personal Injury Protection insurance policy with a minimum coverage amount of $50,000. PIP covers medical expenses and lost wages for drivers and passengers up to the policy amount. Unfortunately, you may need to split the coverage amount among other passengers or a driver with whom you share a policy. Also, you may not receive damages for pain and suffering.
The auto insurance policy of the other driver
Expenses for severe injuries exceeding the minimum PIP threshold may entitle you to go beyond no-fault rules to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider. Under these circumstances, you may also receive pain and suffering damages.
Your auto insurance policy
Medical Payments coverage is an optional car insurance category that is inexpensive, does not require a deductible and can help you make immediate payments towards your accident-related medical bills. You can access Med-Pay benefits through your car insurance provider or that of your vehicle’s driver. Remember that coverage is for medical expenses only and does not exceed $10,000.
When you are hurt while riding as a passenger in someone else’s car in New York, your can turn to various resources for help paying your bills and getting the damages you deserve.


On July 16th I photographed the opening night of the Ignition Festival of New Plays at Victory Gardens Theater. The performance was by André De Shields and featured Kimberly Lawson, Donica Lynn, Tony Mhoon, Doug Peck, and Robert Reddrick.
Connecting Art with Advocacy
My photographs capture the beauty of the Chicago lakefront, but they also represent a link between the ecology of the Great Lakes and our human dependency on the environment.
The perception is that our region possesses a seemingly endless abundance of water — but this misconception distracts from the fragility of this freshwater ecosystem and undermines its importance.
Using art as a pathway for discovery, I invite you to embrace the aesthetic joy I find while exploring the lakefront — and learn more about the natural world surrounding us.


Giorgi Rossi P, Ronco G, Mancuso P, Carozzi F, Allia E, Bisanzi S, Gillio-Tos A, De Marco L, Rizzolo R, Gustinucci D, Del Mistro A, Frayle H, Confortini M, Iossa A, Cesarini E, Bulletti S, Passamonti B, Gori S, Toniolo L, Barca A, Bonvicini L, Venturelli F, Benevolo M; NTCC2 Working Group. Int J Cancer. 2022 May 17. doi: 10.1002/ijc.34120. Online ahead of print. Abstract
As the primary screening test, E6/E7 mRNA has shown similar sensitivity for CIN3+ and lower positivity rate than the HPV DNA test. Nevertheless, the overall mRNA positivity is too high for immediate colposcopy, making a triage test necessary. The aim was to estimate the mRNA performance as a primary test with different triage strategies. All HPV DNA-positives were tested for mRNA, cytology and p16/ki67. A sample of HPV DNA-negatives were also tested for mRNA to estimate test specificity. We included all CIN3+ histologically diagnosed within 24 months since recruitment. Of the 41127 participants, 7.7% were HPV DNA-positive, of which 66.4% were mRNA-positive. Among the HPV DNA-negatives, 10/1108 (0.9%) were mRNA-positive. Overall, 97 CIN3+ were found. If mRNA was used as the primary test, it would miss about 3% of all CIN3+ with a 22% reduction of positivity compared to HPV DNA. The weighted specificity estimate for <CIN2 was 94.5% (95% CI=93.9%-94.9%) and sensitivity for CIN3+ was 96.9% (95% CI=91.3%-99.1%). If all the weighted estimated 6.0% mRNA-positive women had been referred to colposcopy, PPV for CIN3+ would have been 4.2%. Cytology or p16/ki67 triage would decrease immediate referral to 1.7% and 2.0%, increasing PPV to 11.2% and 11.7%, respectively; total colposcopy referral would be 4.0% and 3.9%, respectively. As the primary screening test, the mRNA assay showed a positivity rate lower than that of HPV DNA, with a small number of CIN3+ missed. Triage with cytology or p16/ki67 would only marginally decrease overall colposcopy referral.


The UK Jurisdiction Taskforce (UKJT) recently published a consultation paper requesting submissions from stakeholders working with, or interested in, cryptoassets, distributed ledger technology (DLT) and smart contracts. Submissions will inform a legal statement by UKJT which will aim to settle questions on the legal status of cryptoassets and smart contracts. UKJT is drawn from industry,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and cryptocurrency have been a hot topic this summer. DLT has begun its transition from a proof-of-concept phase, to a real world deployment. Some of the changes over the last six weeks include: Bitcoin splitting into two currencies; the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), and the Monetary …


Published online by Cambridge University Press:
11 November 2020
Scholars of religion are well aware of the hermeneutical difficulty posed when a holy text says something that challenges widespread beliefs or values. In this paper I focus on modern Iranian methods of dealing with Q. 2:282. Qurʾan 2:282 states that women's testimony in cases of debt is half that of men’s, which poses a challenge to the notion of gender egalitarianism, and particularly to the notion that women's minds are equal to men's minds. I describe the conservative, the reformist and the neo-traditionalist methods of interpretation, categories which I have adopted from Ziba Mir-Hosseini, who uses the terms ‘traditionalist’, ‘neo-traditionalist’ and ‘modernist’. I have modified the terms she has used, because these terms imply that traditionalists are not modern and that reformists reject all aspects of tradition. Instead, all ʿulamāʾ use some aspects of tradition, and all modify it in some ways to incorporate widespread values, and this is evident in their approaches to gender roles. I ultimately argue that gender egalitarianism is a widespread modern value (not just a ‘Western’ value) in part by showing how notions of egalitarianism influence the interpretations of all ʿulamāʾ, including those who argue against egalitarian interpretations of the Qurʾan.
Reformists and neo-traditionalists embrace elements of gender egalitarianism. Conservatives argue instead for ‘complementarity’, in which men and women have fixed, complementary roles. This is entirely in keeping with pre-modern interpretations, which, though varied in many respects, were unanimously gender hierarchical. However, unlike pre-modern interpreters, modern conservatives clarify that the roles of men and women are equally valuable. In other words, the notion of egalitarianism is evident in conservatives’ justification for the ruling, rather than in its substance. Whereas pre-modern interpreters often justified their interpretations by pointing to women's defects, today such language has been jettisoned. Elements of equality between the sexes are emphasised, even in conservative interpretations where the ruling itself remains hierarchical or unequal. This is a prime example of the way that certain values can come to be a norm that is taken for granted, which in turn influences the interpretation of the Qurʾan.


Contact us! 412-563-8800 The Importance of Resilience What is resilience?
Resilience is the ability to positively adapt in the face of risk and adversity. There is a wide range of adverse experiences like the loss of a loved one or living in a pandemic. They can also be something less significant like missing a flight or stubbing your toe. Even if you are resilient, you will still experience anger, grief, pain, or frustration during these moments. Your feelings don’t go away. Instead, resilience allows you to cope with your emotions. Those with less resilience are more likely to feel overwhelmed by the negative events in their life. As a result, life may feel more difficult and challenging.
Why is resiliency important?
Resiliency enables you to prepare for stressful situations by being proactive instead of reactive. It helps you see failure as a form of helpful feedback that allows you to adjust and move forward. Resiliency also improves your ability to cope with difficult situations. It is a learned behavior that can be improved and challenged over time. It is important to continually work at it, so you are prepared when difficult life events arise. Resiliency is not the same for everyone. Some people are naturally more resilient than others due to a variety of factors including genetics and childhood experiences.
Building resilience
Resilience is a well that we dip from in times of trouble, rather than a hole we dig when we are already overwhelmed. It is best to lay the foundation early to help maintain your overall well-being. We often overlook our well-being until things become difficult to manage. Much like our physical health, we are less likely to get sick or feel ill if we engage in healthy habits. By investing in ourselves when we are doing well, we can help maintain our mental well-being.


Chromosome conformation capture (3C) technology is a pioneering methodology that allows in vivo genomic organization to be explored at a scale encompassing a few tens to a few hundred kilobase-pairs. Understanding the folding of the genome at this scale is particularly important in mammals where dispersed regulatory elements, like enhancers or insulators, are involved in gene regulation. 3C technology involves formaldehyde fixation of cells, followed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based analysis of the frequency with which pairs of selected DNA fragments are crosslinked in the population of cells. Accurate measurements of crosslinking frequencies require the best quantification techniques. We recently adapted the real-time TaqMan PCR technology to the analysis of 3C assays, resulting in a method that more accurately determines crosslinking frequencies than current semiquantitative 3C strategies that rely on measuring the intensity of ethidium bromide-stained PCR products separated by gel electrophoresis. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for this method, which we have named 3C-qPCR. Once preliminary controls and optimizations have been performed, the whole procedure (3C assays and quantitative analyses) can be completed in 7-9 days.


Healthy People 2020 (HP 2020), released in December 2010, outlines numerous public health objectives, including objectives for youth physical activity participation (1). HP 2020 includes three objectives for meeting current federal physical activity guidelines for 1) aerobic physical activity (participation in ≥60 minutes of aerobic activity per day, 7 days per week) (PA 3.1); 2) muscle-strengthening activity (muscle-strengthening activities on ≥3 days per week) (PA 3.2); and 3) aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activity combined (PA 3.3) (1,2). The HP 2020 target for PA 3.1 is 20.2%; targets for PA 3.2 and PA 3.3 are not set because baseline data are not available. To meet the HP 2020 targets for physical activity, promotion of physical activity among female high school students (3), high school students in upper grades (3), and youths with obesity (4) might be warranted, given that these subpopulations are at risk for low levels of physical activity. To determine the proportion of U.S. youths who meet these HP 2020 objectives, CDC analyzed data from the 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS), a school-based study conducted by CDC that included height and weight measurements and a survey that measured physical activity and dietary behaviors among a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9--12. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that among students nationwide in grades 9--12, 15.3% met the aerobic objective, 51.0% met the muscle-strengthening objective, and 12.2% met the objective for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. To improve youth physical activity participation, efforts are needed among CDC, state and local public health agencies, schools, and other public health partners that promote physical activity.


Abstract
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) is internationally recognized to categorize nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Despite their joint categorization, each weapon is distinct from the other and use and possession are treated differently. Previous studies have focused on technological aspects of these weapons, failing to examine and explain the distinct nature and underlying significance of this term. Adopting a constructivist approach, and utilizing sociological research, this work addresses this gap by restoring the underlying strategic and ethical significance of the concept of WMD. The article stresses stigmatization of WMD by the international community. The evolving condemnation of chemical and biological weapons forged the stigma and led to the condemnation of nuclear weapons. WMD have been framed as a threat to humanity due to their ability to create widespread, long-term, irreversible destruction. WMD have also been associated with elevated status and power. These two aspects cannot be separated from each other. The article shows that the actors involved in stigmatization have varied. Initially, the stigma emerged top-down, via government officials. In time, grass roots movements and the general public have also condemned these weapons. Secondly, stigmatizing was driven by perceptions of social, economic, and political power, which elevated the status of these weapons. Stigmatization then developed as a reaction to the threatened possession and use of WMD by antagonistic actors. The ethical and political processes cannot be distinguished from each other; each has formed to frame the image of the long-term danger of WMD. Understanding this process of stigmatization is of particular importance at a time in which the threat from these weapons has increased. This work therefore provides greater insight and understanding into ways to address this challenging subject.
Keywords Security nuclear chemical biological WMD stigmatization


This guide offers considerations for how state agency staff can develop and maintain an accessible, HIV and opioid use disorder (OUD) service inventory. This guide can be used by state agency HIV and OUD staff to:
Resources and Tools Case Study Toolkit Toolkit Publication/Report Toolkit Publication/Report Companion Guide Publication/Report Publication/Report Coordinating Systems of Care for HIV and Opioid Use Disorder: A Systematic Review of Enablers and Barriers to Integrated Service Access, and Systems and Tools Required for Implementation
Individuals who have HIV who also use drugs experience increased age-matched morbidity and mortality in comparison with those with HIV who do not use drugs.
State Strategies in Action: Building Relationships with Your State Medicaid Agency to Support Peer Services
This document describes the critical role that peers have in developing and delivering care for people with HIV and OUD and how a state’s Medicaid program can serve as an essential fiscal resource in supporting peer services.
This discussion guide is intended to elicit a comprehensive and concrete conversation about language, stigma, and discrimination as a means of strengthening care systems and ensuring that people who seek care for HIV and/or substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder, are treated with
This webinar companion guide offers attendees a resource to supplement the information covered during a webinar and extend the webinar’s benefits beyond the allotted presentation time. It contains:
Interrupting Stigma: A Conceptual Map Depicting Stigma Pathways & Intervening Strategies at the Intersection of HIV and Opioid Use Disorder
This tool focuses on the role of stigma at the intersection of HIV and OUD systems, and introduces opportunities for intervention at the systems level.
For Boston Health Care for the Homeless nurse Megan Sonderegger, providing client-centered care means literally meeting her clients where they are.
COVID-19 has changed the way society operates in countless ways. During our inaugural podcast, our team of addiction specialists and HIV providers, Drs.


Most commonly asked questions about divorce answered - the Spousal Support in California FAQ
Like child support, spousal support (or alimony) provides you with financial support during and after a divorce or legal separation. Typically, California family courts award spousal support when one spouse was the primary wage earner in the home and the other spouse is unable to meet his or her financial needs without assistance.
There are two types of California support:
Temporary support or “pendentelite” support:Alimony payments awarded while a divorce is pending. Permanent support:Alimony payments made after a divorce or legal separation is finalized. (“Permanent” support may not mean a lifetime obligation.)
California calculates temporary and permanent support differently. For temporary support, the family court balances what you need and what your spouse can pay. Typically, the court uses California’s alimony calculator to determine an appropriate payment amount.
For permanent support, the court cannot use the state’s alimony calculator. Instead, the family court weighs a series of factors, including:
The marriage’s length, Each spouse’s income and earning potential, Each spouse’s expenses, Their lifestyle (quality of life) during the marriage, Whether either spouse has physical or mental disabilities, Whether children are living in the home, and Other relevant factors.
If a spouse’s income is variable, the calculations can become especially complicated. If your spouse is self-employed, has commission-based employment, or other forms of variable income, contact a lawyer for assistance.
There are multiple factors that impact the duration of spousal support. First, California law limits it for shorter marriages. Your entitlement to it varies, depending on whether you were:
Married for less than ten years:There is a rebuttablepresumption that support is paid for half of the length of the marriage. (For example, if the marriage lasted for six years, alimony is typically for three years.) Married ten or more years:The family court retains jurisdiction over support payments indefinitely (unless the spouses negotiate a shorter term). In other words, you could pay alimony for life.
However, the length of the marriage is not the only factor the court considers.
The court must also evaluate each spouse’s financial resources and earning potential. Even if you the marriage lasted for ten or more years, lifetime alimony is relatively rare. For example, a stay-at-home mother with limited education and training may be entitled to alimony for a very long time. But, a spouse who is completing her MBA (which may significantly increase her earning potential) may eligible for alimony for a shorter period of time.
Finally, most spousal support orders are modifiable. If you or your spouse’s financial circumstances significantly change, you may be able to reduce or terminate alimony payments.
Under California law, family law judges cannot consider gender during a divorce, legal separation, or annulment. In fact, judges receive training on how to avoid gender bias. However, subtle bias does exist. For example, a judge may struggle with a stay-at-home father’s request for spousal support because of latent gender bias. If you want to avoid gender bias or discrimination in your claim, consider hiring an experienced lawyer. A lawyer can help you present the best possible case for (or against) support and ensure that bias does not impact the award.
Unlike child support, court-ordered spousal support is taxable. Therefore, recipients must pay income taxes on their support payments. And, if you pay spousal support, the payments are tax deductible.
Under certain circumstances, you can modify a permanent spousal support order. Typically, you can amend a support order if:
The current order was not designated as “non-modifiable,” and There are changed circumstances that merit modification.
A material change in circumstances may involve a significant change in a spouse’s income, an unexpected disability, or loss of health insurance. If you believe you qualify for a modification of your support order, contact a lawyer for a personalized assessment of your claim.
If an ex-spouse remarries, his or her entitlement to spousal support typically ends. There is one primary exception to this rule. Support payments must continue if the marital settlement agreement clearly states that remarriage does not terminate alimony obligations.
If your ex-spouse receives support and moves in (cohabitates) with a significant other, you can petition the court to reduce or terminate his or her spousal support. When an ex-spouse decides to cohabitate, there is rebuttable presumption that his or her boyfriend or girlfriend is providing financial support. However, if there is evidence that the new couple is not sharing expenses and income, support payments may continue (since there has not been a significant change in the spouse’s financial circumstances).
If there is documented domestic violence in your marriage, the family court must consider the impact of the abuse (including emotional distress) when awarding permanent spousal support. And, if your spouse has a conviction of domestic violence in the past five years (and you were the victim), there is a rebuttable presumption that he or she is ineligible for spousal support.
In California, a wife may be entitled to 50% of marital assets, 40% of her spouse’s income, as well as primary child custody. These benefits are determined by the length of the marriage and the income of each spouse, among other considerations.
In general, there are various ways for an individual to avoid paying spousal support. You can plan ahead, have your attorney resolve the issue or suggest a termination date during the divorce, or you can request a modification or termination following the divorce.
In California, it is lawful to force your spouse to vacate your house and stay away for a specified period of time. However, such a court order can be obtained only if the individual demonstrates violence or threats of attack in an emergency or the risk for physical or emotional injury in a non-emergency.
Claims for spousal support in California are frequently contentious and emotional. An experienced alimony lawyer can help you build a strong case for or against support payments. At Family Law Matters, we provide our clients with compassionate care, tenacious representation, and detailed analysis. Contact us for a consultation.
After serving your spouse, they will have 30 days to file a parallel set of divorce documents referred to as the response. They, too, must file their paperwork with the court clerk. If your spouse does not timely file a response, the court has the authority to enter a default judgment against them.


Sabine Pass exported 95.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas to 12 countries in January, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The terminal accounted for 28 of the 37 total vessel-borne cargoes shipped that month, or nearly 76%. Dominion Cove Point terminal in Maryland shipped six; Corpus Christi in Texas, three.
In all, the U.S. exported 126.8 billion cubic feet of LNG in January—a 75% increase over January 2018 and 3.4% increase over December. The top five countries of destination, representing 54.9% of total U.S. LNG exports: Japan, 17.5 billion cubic feet; South Korea, 17.0 billion cubic feet; Mexico, 14.3 billion cubic feet; Italy, 10.5 billion cubic feet; and the United Kingdom (10.4 billion cubic feet.
The top countries of destination for Sabine Pass were South Korea, 17.0 billion cubic feet; Mexico, 14.31 billion cubic feet; Portugal, 10.3 billion cubic feet; Turkey, 9.8 billion cubic feet; Poland, 9.9 billion cubic feet; and France, 7.3 billion cubic feet.
The U.S Energy Information Administration projects U.S. LNG export capacity will reach 8.9 billion cubic feet per day by the end of 2019, according to
World Oil magazine, making it the third-largest in the world behind Australia and Qatar. Currently, U.S. LNG export capacity stands at 3.6 billion cubic feet per day, and it is expected to end the year at 4.9 billion cubic feet per day as two new liquefaction units become operational. The United States began exporting LNG in February 2016, when the Sabine Pass shipped its first cargo.


This report provides a brief overview of cancer epidemiology and capacity for comprehensive care-prevention, screening, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care- for the two most common cancers in women, breast and cervical cancer, for the non-Latin Caribbean region. This serves as a background document for discussion in the Forum on Women’s Cancers in the English Caribbean, convened by PAHO and the University of Miami, May 11-12, 2016.


Network connected medical devices, like wireless infusion pumps, make patient care more efficient and effective. Ensuring these devices are protected from cybersecurity threats is a top priority for the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE). The NCCoE has produced a video illustrating how a “Defense In Depth” posture can help mitigate cybersecurity risks of connected medical devices.
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at hit_nccoe@nist.gov


Trucks are crucial to the American economy, but these large, heavy vehicles can cause significant damage when involved in accidents. If you were hurt in an accident involving a semi truck in Florida, you may be surprised to learn that the main factor in what happened...
Month: March 2017
Whether you are ready to begin divorce proceedings or just considering it, you are undoubtedly at least a little worried about the financial repercussions. When children are involved, you can usually expect child support, but what if you have been focusing your...
When you think of a catastrophic injury, you may picture wounds that result in blood loss or obvious external trauma. However, some severe injuries may not show outward signs or even immediately indicate that serious trauma has occurred. If you or someone you love has...
The top reason to hire a personal injury attorney is experience. Odds are you don't have a lot of experience with personal injury claims and lawsuits. The personal injury attorneys at are experienced in handling personal injury...
Recent headlines have revealed the dangers of repeated head trauma in sports. Similarly, you may have joined others who watched with hopeful expectation as comedian Tracy Morgan made a triumphant return to the stage after suffering a brain injury in a motor vehicle...
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Research We perform research in different areas of computational biology, in a comparative, evolutionary fashion. With an emphasis on understanding how protein structure and function have shaped the genomic sequence library of today, we pursue projects aimed at elucidating novel mechanisms of molecular evolution that contribute to biological divergence among, and within a, species. We are particularly interested in how changes in structural properties in protein families contribute to functional divergence. Evolution of protein structure - we investigate how intrinsic disorder evolves, the evolutionary dynamics of protein structure, and how the interplay between different structural and functional properties influences sequence evolution. Ultimately, we aim to gain insights to better predict functional implications of missense mutations. We also use protein family evolution including structural properties to survey viral protein families for fitness critical regions that may serve as broadly neutralizing antiviral targets.
Molecular mimicry between viruses and their hosts - we explore how viruses are able to mimic structure and sequence for small parts of their host's proteome and the potential consequences thereof. Molecular mimicry between antigenic proteins such as Spike from SARS-CoV-2 and human proteins may trigger the release of cross-reactive antibodies with autoimmune potential. Further, we study how viruses can also use molecular mimicry to interfere with the host cell machinery. We aim to understand how the structural properties of molecular mimicry impact virus-host interactions.
Bioinformatics research in education - we offer Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) including applications for an integrated analysis of protein sequence data illuminating structural and functional characteristics in an evolutionary context targeted to the non-bioinformatician biology student. Projects in the classroom tend to focus on viruses, cancer genomics, or personal genomics. We assess student learning, self-efficacy, and attitudes in bioinformatics and perform bioinformatics education research to better understand how to make bioinformatics accessible and attractive to biology students. We use bioinformatics CUREs to increase access to research for undergraduate students and study the impact of such interventions. Lastly, we work with high school teachers to boost high school biology curricula with bioinformatics.
For further details, contact us.


Duplex stainless steels are called “duplex” because they have a two-phase microstructure consisting of grains of ferritic and austenitic stainless steel.
Strength: Duplex stainless steels are about twice as strong as regular austenitic or ferritic stainless steels.
Super duplex valves are used in many industries such as petrochemical, chemical equipment, food processing, oil, and gas.
As with all stainless steel, corrosion resistance depends mostly on the composition of the stainless steel. For chloride pitting and crevice corrosion resistance, their chromium, molybdenum, and nitrogen content are most important. Duplex stainless steel grades have a range of corrosion resistance, similar to the range for austenitic stainless steels, i.e from Type 304 or 316 (e.g. LDX 2101©) to 6% molybdenum (e.g. SAF 2507©) stainless steels.
Duplex stainless steels have lower nickel and molybdenum contents than their austenitic counterparts of similar corrosion resistance. Due to the lower alloying content, duplex stainless steels can be lower in cost, especially in times of high alloy surcharges. Additionally, it may often be possible to reduce the section thickness of duplex stainless steel, due to its increased yield strength compared to austenitic stainless steel. The combination can lead to significant cost and weight savings compared to a solution in austenitic stainless steel.


We can learn a lot from ourselves if we reflect back on our coping with COVID in 2020 to support the best decisions and strategies for coping with COVID in 2021. Look back at what you did to manage your stress, frustration, social strain, and health for the past year. Try to break it into sections: pre-COVID (January-ish), early-COVID (February/March with shut-downs), sustained–COVID (April through July), and second wave-COVID (August – December).(Obviously these timelines may be different for your experience.) Explore how you dealt with the pandemic in each of these stages. Next, start looking at what you did well: What are things you did that helped your health (especially mentally), your loved ones, your neighbors, and your community? Finally, explore what you did not do so well: What are areas you can grow from, where did you respond that may have resulted in feeling guilt or shame, how could you have responded better? Going through these steps will help you to adjust to 2021.
Many of us have coping strategies that we use as a default. They are, likely and hopefully, effective when we face challenges and stressors in our lives. However, what happens to these default strategies when they are exhausted? 2020 may have shown you some strategies are not as effective if they have to be engaged day-by-day and hour-by-hour. It may be time to reinforce those that worked and start to build new ones that are more sustainable over time.
A strategy that may have been effective during lock-down may have become ineffective with restrictions or changes in life once that ended (or vice versa). Taking a walk around the neighborhood with fresh air, pets, and sunshine may be great when you’re at home and enjoy support from a spouse to manage the kids. However, a change to several variables in this system will render the coping strategy obsolete and alternatives will need to developed or executed. What can you use as a learning tool from 2020 that makes this process easier? None of us wanted to face COVID in 2021. but all of us can benefit in making ourselves better at managing ourselves — regardless of the year or the challenges.


How many to-do lists do you have? Do you have one for home, work, community, etc.? How long are they? Are you moving items continually to the next day?
When someone in your meeting says, “Who can do this?” do you respond in the affirmative? Later, do you not only wish you had not raised your hand, do you wish you could burn your entire to-do list?
Try putting all the items on your to-do lists onto your schedule. If they don’t fit, you know they will never be completed. Be ruthless about what items to eliminate or reassign and, in the future, bring your schedule with you to meetings. You’ll be less likely to make promises you can’t keep.
The more to-do lists you have and the longer they are, the more likely you are becoming a bottleneck to others—and yourself.


In October 2013, Bit9 conducted its third-annual survey on server security. In the past year, the inability to detect or stop advanced attacks has remained a constant challenge for enterprises. This survey was designed to analyze these challenges from respondents who are responsible for their organization's security posture.
Key findings and takeaways:
Targeted attacks and data breaches are top concerns for organizations, but confidence in being able to detect or stop them on their servers has dropped for the second consecutive year; Virtual servers continue to be perceived as more secure than physical ones, despite admitted advanced attacks; Administrative effort for server security remains uncomfortably high for the second year in a row.


HCMC – The World Bank (WB) has recommended the Vietnamese Government consider taking measures to provide support, especially targeted direct support, for local disadvantaged households in dealing with a spike in goods and service prices.
According to the WB’s report updating Vietnam’s macroeconomy in June, the consumer price index (CPI) rose for four months in a row, from a year-on-year increase of 2.6% in April to 2.9% in May.
The CPI increase was attributed to the constant fuel price hikes in May, with 5.9% and 4% against the previous month, respectively. Similarly, May saw fertilizer prices inching up 5.6% month-on-month, while in April they only rose 2.8% versus the previous month.
In May, iron and steel prices climbed 1.8% month-on-month, while April recorded a 4.2% rise month-on-month.
Besides, food and foodstuff prices gained slightly, from a month-on-month rise of 1.1% in April to 1.3% in May.
Core inflation, which excludes prices of fresh food, energy and State-controlled healthcare and education services, increased 1.6% year-on-year in May, up from 1.5% in April.
Given these indicators, WB recommended Vietnamese authorities remain cautious about the inflation risk linked to fuel and imported goods price hikes, as it could hinder economic recovery at home.
Nguyen Bich Lam, former head of the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, also forecast that the country’s inflation in 2022 will stay at 4-4.5%, with three major factors affecting inflation comprising supply chain disruptions, soaring prices of input materials and fuels and a sudden increase in aggregate demand amid global supply chain disruptions.
Lam said supply chain issues exert the most significant pressure on the country’s inflation, as Vietnam has an open economy with manufacturing heavily relying on imported materials. The costs of imported materials account for 37% of the country’s total material costs.
In addition, Western sanctions against Russia due to its military conflict in Ukraine have worsened global supply chain disruptions, thereby pushing up commodities prices in global markets.
To cushion the impact of inflation, WB said that the Government should mull over temporary support measures, including those to aid poor families in coping with price hikes.
The bank also noted that the global price shock is mostly due to fuel price hikes that have driven up transport costs. Therefore, targeted, temporary subsidies offered to those directly affected, such as truck drivers, should be taken into account to reduce inflationary pressure.
Further, the Government should encourage investments to help increase aggregate supply.


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Nationwide executives have stated they’re “extremely involved” in regards to the outlook for inflation, warning that rising prices may hurt already struggling clients and drag down home costs.
In its annual earnings report, the member-owned constructing society stated it had not but skilled a rise in defaults on loans or mortgages.
Nevertheless, it warned that surging inflation, which hit a 40-year excessive of 9% final month, would put “vital stress” on family budgets, significantly for individuals on decrease incomes who constructed up much less financial savings throughout the Covid lockdowns.
“Clearly we’re extremely involved in regards to the outlook atmosphere,” chief govt Joe Garner advised journalists. “And we’re very targeted on leaning into our members, and actually underlining the emphasis of contacting us as early as potential.”
He advised lenders like Nationwide had been higher outfitted to deal with the price of residing disaster right now, having already helped clients by way of intervals of uncertainty together with Brexit and Covid lockdowns. Garner defined that the constructing society was prepared to supply a variety of choices to struggling clients, together with interest-only cost holidays.
Nevertheless, the constructing society, which is the UK’s second largest mortgage lender behind Lloyd’s Banking Group, defined that greater property costs, rising rates of interest, and the “steep enhance” in the price of residing meant housing had already develop into much less inexpensive for customers.
These monetary pressures can even imply individuals might be extra cautious about spending cash on new houses, which was prone to impression home costs. “There’s a threat of a downward motion in home costs, given the stress on family budgets”, Nationwide stated.
“We anticipate housing market exercise to sluggish and the speed of home value development to average within the coming quarters,” it added.
Nationwide’s month-to-month housing survey confirmed that the typical quantity paid for a house within the UK climbed 0.3% to £267,620 in April on a month earlier, although that in contrast with a 1.1% rise in March. It was additionally the smallest enhance since September final 12 months.
It may impression Nationwide’s revenue development, having practically doubled its annual income in 2021 when it benefited from stronger financial situations and a buoyant housing market. Nationwide stated on Friday that annual pre-tax income grew from £823m to £1.6bn.
“Whereas the outlook stays difficult, the society continues to display its resilience,” it stated.
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Higher Achievement CEO, Lynsey Wood Jeffries will be sharing lessons learned during the i3 webinar on scaling up education innovations!
What can the Investing in Innovation (i3) grantees tell us about scaling innovative educational practices? The newly released white paper “Scaling Up Evidence-Based Practices: Strategies from Investing in Innovation (i3)” captures the experiences of nine grantees whose projects collectively have reached over 1.2 million students across the country. This webinar will discuss some of the key lessons they have learned about expanding the reach and impact of their work, including:
– What strategies are likely to be most successful in recruiting schools/districts to implement new education practices?
– What does it take to get consistent results across diverse sites, while encouraging innovation?
– What role does evidence play in scaling up a practice?
– What conditions are critical to sustaining practices over time?
Join the webinar on Thursday, March 2nd to hear directly from two of the grantees highlighted in the paper, the paper’s lead author, and the i3 team:
– Joel Zarrow, CEO, Children’s Literacy Initiative
– Lynsey Wood Jeffries, CEO, Higher Achievement
– Tom DeWire, EdScale, LLC (part of the Westat i3 technical assistance tea
– Brian Lekander, i3 program officer, Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education


Applying a Developmental Lens to Educational Game Designs for Preschoolers April 1, 2020
Callaghan, M. N., & Reich, S. M. (2022). Applying a Developmental Lens to Educational Game Designs for Preschoolers. In
Research Anthology on Developments in Gamification and Game-Based Learning (pp. 471-487). IGI Global. Overview
Reach Every Reader’s, Melissa Callaghan, and UC-Irvine’s Stephanie Reich perform a qualitative review that connects extant learning and developmental sciences research to game design to illuminate how educational game features could be designed to support 3-5-year-old learners.
Abstract
Preschool-aged learners process information differently from older individuals, making it critical to design digital educational games that are tailored to capitalize on young children’s learning capabilities. This in-depth literature synthesis connects features of digital educational game design – including visuals, feedback, scaffolding challenge, rewards, and physical interactions to how young children learn. Preschoolers’ interests and abilities (e.g., limited attention-span, early reading skills, etc.) are different than older users. As such, developmental science should be used to guide the design of educational games from aesthetic decisions that capture preschoolers’ initial interest (e.g., meaningful characters) to carefully select end-of-game rewards (e.g., leveling up). This article connects learning and developmental science research to the design of digital educational games, offering insights into how best to design games for young users and how to select developmentally appropriate games for children.


A financial advisor’s role is to assist clients in making informed financial decisions. They advise on investment products such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, as well as financial planning such as retirement and estate planning. Financial advisors can work with individuals or businesses.
Financial advisors must be registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in India. To become a sebi-registered investment advisor, an individual must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline and pass a three-hour examination.
The exam covers financial planning, investment products, and taxation.
What Does a Financial Advisor Do?
Depending on the industry, financial advisors may wear a variety of hats. A financial advisor helps individuals, families, and businesses make decisions about investments, taxes, insurance, retirement planning, estate planning, and money management. Financial advisors work with various organisations, including banks and non-banks, as well as various
Loan firms in Delhi with financial companies. Brokerage Firms Insurance Companies Wealth Management Corporations Accounting and Tax Planning Firms Debt Management Corporations
A financial advisor’s primary role is to assist clients with their financial goals based on their unique needs and challenges. As previously stated, you can work as part of an organisation or start your own.
Three Essential Qualities for a Financial Advisor
A good financial advisor must possess three key characteristics. These characteristics are not interchangeable and cannot be replaced. Among these are:
Education:Some self-trained Financial Advisors have worked in the industry for years, gaining experience and success. However, this is not your goal; you will need the proper education to break into the industry. Depending on the industry in which you want to start your career, various eligibility criteria exist. Some organisations, such as the sebi registered investment advisor, require candidates to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in finance with a specialisation in accounting and financial management. To reach the top of the pyramid, however, you must choose CFP or the Certified Financial Planner Charter. Experience:As you may know, most clients, regardless of qualification, prefer to seek advice from a seasoned professional rather than a novice. Financial advisors must gain experience in this field before becoming independent. Before becoming self-employed, you can work for a financial firm or intern for a top-rated advisor. As a result, you will become intimately acquainted with the industry’s fundamentals and the strategies employed on a case-by-case basis. Unrivalled experience,regardless of degree or qualification. Soft- Skills:A financial advisor’s responsibilities go beyond simply reading numbers, interpreting them, and advising clients. Currently, a variety of software and tools can perform these tasks. As a result, you will need to learn various soft skills, education, and experience. Communication skills are essential in this industry, and proficiency in multiple languages is advantageous in a diverse country like India. Also, you can learn organisational and client-service skills to help you stay ahead of the competition. Conclusion:
In addition to feeling good about providing sound advice and building a solid financial foundation for their clients, registered financial advisers can benefit from high salaries, flexibility in their work schedules, and control over their practice. A registered financial advisor can help ensure that your personal and business finances are in good working order. As a result, Finway FSC is one of the best Loan firms in Delhi
Read more: 10 Core ERP Features For Ecommerce Business


You can say a lot of things about roofs, and most of them might be true. But one thing that nobody can argue with is that roofs are tops. This statement can be taken in several ways. A roof does for the top of your home. It can also act like a "top" or lid for your home, keeping the rain out. Then, there's the third meaning, which is the one we happen to like the most: roofs are the best. (People say things are "tops" when they really like them.) Since we like roofs so much, we've decided to write about them, and you've discovered the blog where we do that.
Brian Riley
Asphalt shingles are one of the most popular materials for residential and commercial properties. They are liked for their affordability, easy installation, and durability. If you have this type of roof, you need routine maintenance and timely repairs to extend its lifespan. This piece will help you discover common types of damage that affect asphalt shingles and why you should schedule repairs immediately.
1. Blistering
Perhaps one of the most common issues with asphalt materials is blistering. It happens when heat from the sun causes pockets of moisture between the asphalt particles to expand and pop out through the surface. It can also occur due to poor ventilation within the roofing system. When the bubbles break, they may create entry points for moisture to seep into the decking and inner layers of the roof. Consider calling your roofer to inspect the roof and replace blistering shingles when necessary.
2. Splitting and Curling Shingles
Roofs with seams are notorious for harboring curled or splitting shingles. As the asphalt shingles expand and contract due to fluctuating weather conditions, the movements might cause the shingles to split or curl. The new spaces between the materials allow water to seep into the roofing system and cause damage.
Your roofing contractor might recommend replacing the affected shingles. They also inspect your ventilation to see if trapped moisture and escaping heat could be the reasons for the shifting and curling. The contractor will fix the problem to prevent future issues.
3. Loss of Granules on the Surface
During roof inspections, the experts might find granules in the gutters. Asphalt shingles have multiple layers to keep moisture at bay. The upper layer often contains granules that prevent water infiltration. A loss of granules reduces the roof's protective barrier against hailstorms, snow, water, and mold.
However, the contractor can assess the severity of the damage and find a reliable solution. In the case of a minor loss of granules, they might recommend replacing the affected shingles. You will be advised to avoid walking on the roof since this could speed up the loss of granules.
4. Roof Punctures
Over the years, your asphalt roofing system might experience various disturbances. They may come from foot traffic from solar installers, painters, and roofers walking on its surface. As a result, your roof might have several holes or punctures. Tree branches might also damage the roof and leave holes behind. Therefore, it is important to fix such damage as soon as possible to avoid water damage.
Your roof is one of your home's important lines of defense against external elements. Taking care of it through timely repair helps extend its lifespan and keep your repair expenses low. If you encounter any of these signs, consider scheduling an appointment with a roofing contractor.
Contact a roofing service for more information.


Attributions Basal C1QTNF5-S163R Mutant Deposits and Drusen Formation: Implications for AMD CollaboratorMavis Agbandje-McKenna, PhD University of Florida Summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by the presence of drusen, abnormal extracellular deposits composed of protein and lipids that accumulate between the RPE and choroid, the layer of blood vessels providing oxygen and nutrients to the RPE. Our goal is to understand the factors contributing to the formation of drusen deposits, in order to develop a strategy to eliminate them and preserve vision in AMD patients.
Project Details
Extracellular deposits that accumulate within the RPE/choroid interface, such as drusen and basal laminar and linear deposits, are central to the pathogenesis and severity of AMD. These deposits may block the transport of oxygen and nutrients to the RPE and photoreceptor cells, causing vision loss. The main objective of our research project is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the formation of drusen deposits in dry AMD, in order to develop therapeutic approaches for this disorder and prevent vision loss. However, AMD is a complex disorder caused by an interplay of many environmental and genetic risk factors. In contrast, a disease known as late-onset retinal degeneration has a well understood genetic cause, and shares several key features with AMD, including the presence of characteristic drusen-like deposits similar to those found in patients with AMD. L-ORD is caused by the S163R mutation in complement C1QTNF5 protein, which is highly expressed in the RPE. To date, the biological function of C1QTNF5 in the RPE is unknown. We have previously shown that overexpression of mutant S163R C1QTNF5 protein in murine RPE leads to the formation of thick, extracellular RPE basal deposits and regions of RPE atrophy. Therefore, our specific aims are centered on understanding the roles of C1QTNF5 protein in the eye, the identification of its binding partners, and the factors contributing to the formation of RPE extracellular deposits. This will allow us to also understand the mechanisms contributing to the RPE dysfunction and the biogenesis of the more complex drusen deposits in AMD patients.


Collection Action -- The Proper Balance
April 22, 2015
In speaking to most IRS collection officers, you would be under the impression that the IRS can file a lien against a taxpayer’s property whenever the taxpayer owes money to the government. However, a recent Tax Court decision, James B Budish v. Commissioner, showed that may not always be the case.
Mr. Budish owed the Service over $200,000. He attempted to enter into an installment agreement. However, as a condition of the agreement, the IRS insisted on filing a lien based on their interpretation of the Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) Section 5.12.2.4.1. This section states that the IRS “In general, should” file a notice of lien when there is a balance of $5,000 or more.
The Tax Court held that the wording, “In general”, meant there could be instances when the government should not be filing a lien. In fact, the taxpayer argued just that point. Under IRC 6330(c)(3)(C), the government must legitimately balance and weigh the interests of efficient government collections against the taxpayer’s legitimate concern that the collection action be no more intrusive than necessary. Mr. Budish argued that the notice of lien would do irreparable harm to his vendor and customer relationships, rendering him unable to do his work and deny him with his only source of income.
The Court held for the taxpayer, stating that:
The IRS incorrectly concluded that a lien filing was required. There was no consideration in balancing the government’s needs for collection against the taxpayer’s concern that the collection action be overly intrusive.
The case was then remanded back to the Appeals Office of the IRS with instructions to hold a supplemental Collection Due Process hearing with the taxpayer. However, for this hearing they would be required to balance the factors noted in IRC 6330(c)(3)(C).


Business & Technology
Modern technology is transforming the higher education landscape. Innovations in education tech are allowing colleges and universities the ability to offer their students more unique, interactive learning experiences through digital curriculums, education-centric applications, and open educational resources (OERs). This technology has enabled universities to teach students and attract professors from around the world in virtual classrooms, while also enabling a higher degree of customization in learning for each student.
Aside from services offered by universities, students are also changing the ways they engage with their education, using multiple devices and applications to organize and collaborate.
While capitalizing on this technology certainly presents opportunities for students and universities, the open network required to enable and encourage this type of tech-based learning opens higher education institutes up to cyber risks.
As colleges and universities seek to balance innovative technical capabilities with strong network and data security, here are three of the top cybersecurity features necessary for a strong security posture:
As universities attempt to mitigate threats from multiple attack vectors, they are deploying increased numbers of point solutions. However, relying on information each of these siloed tools produce can be burdensome on resources. This is because each of these disparate point solutions provide different intelligence and varying degrees of data visibility.
To effectively manage network security controls, university IT teams need to have centralized single pane of glass visibility into data movement across the network, and a simplified view of security alerts across disparate security devices. This is integral as IT teams do not usually have the manpower to cross-correlate this data and monitor each solution themselves.
Colleges must also protect networks against the sophisticated cyberattacks and zero-day exploits used by cybercriminals to steal data – be it personal information of students and faculty, or proprietary research done at the university. These attacks can be disseminated through a multitude of attack vectors such as emails, web applications, or malicious links and attachments. Among the most prominent examples of this type of threat in the education space is ransomware, in which data is extorted for money. However, universities are also regularly targeted with phishing attacks and DDoS attacks using botnets to achieve their means.
Moreover, universities are also targeted by zero-day vulnerabilities, or flaws in their hardware and software, that are difficult to detect until it is too late and a breach has occurred. To mitigate each of these types of attacks, universities need both global and local threat intelligence to update their security infrastructure for protection against zero-day exploits.
In addition to IT infrastructure and security solutions, colleges must also employ IT teams that can deploy each piece of technology and ensure it runs effectively. Building out this infrastructure and team on a limited budget is a challenge, especially given the cybersecurity skills gap employers are facing when hiring for these positions. As a result, IT teams with limited resources often put an emphasis on functionality, while neglecting security. However, in today’s threat landscape, security cannot be an afterthought.
To maximize limited IT resources, colleges need integrated and automated security infrastructure that allows rapid response to each incident, without having to wait for data to be collated and addressed by a busy team member. Additionally, these capabilities result in decreased cybersecurity costs, as integrated solutions are more cost-effective than disparate point solutions, or employing a large enough IT team to manage the network manually.
To effectively secure colleges and universities, there must be a strong security process in place that does not inhibit the use of applications and devices across campus, while meeting each of the needs stated above. Additionally, it must utilize automation to assist with, rather than complicate, the tracking and mitigating of security incidents across the network. This can be achieved through unified threat management.
Unified threat management allows universities to combine multiple security solutions into a single console to monitor and centrally manage network activity from one location.
Fortinet’s unified threat management (UTM) solution for higher education incorporates firewalls, application protection, sandboxing, web filtering, endpoint protection, and more to mitigate the threats presented by open networks, BYOD, applications, botnets, etc.
Combining multiple security solutions from a single vendor into a connected UTM means that there is only one interface that university IT teams must manage, while minimizing downtime due to maintenance. UTM offers a single pane of glass view, with IPS and IDS, to view data movement and requests across the network, simplifying operations for IT teams.
To ensure the most up-to-date security policies, while maximizing IT teams’ time, Fortinet’s UTM is automatically updated with threat intelligence from FortiGuard labs as well as intelligence from each tool within the UTM, providing both global and local threat intelligence. This intelligence protects university networks from known malicious attacks, as well as derivative zero-day threats. These automatic updates save IT teams the time it would take to assess and correlate data from separate solutions to make it actionable, before updating each solution with the necessary signatures. This allows for robust security without being a drain on university resources, or budgets.
Today, higher education institutions have to be able to provide the networked, tech-enabled learning experience that both students and faculty expect, while simultaneously protecting private data. Between limited IT resources, BYOD proliferation, and constant new threats, higher education is in a uniquely complicated position when it comes to network security. Implementing a connected UTM helps universities find a balance between functionality and security, without draining resources.
Learn more about Fortinet solutions empowering 21st century classrooms. This blog originally appeared in EdScoop.


12 Jobs To Explore With a Public Safety Administration Degree
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
If you're interested in protecting other people, you may want to pursue a degree in public safety administration. Professionals in this field help create programs or serve community members directly to preserve their well-being. Learning more about the career options you can attain with this credential can help you determine whether it's a path that aligns with your interests and goals. In this article, we discuss public safety administration degrees and offer a list of 12 jobs for these graduates to consider.
What is a public safety administration degree?
A degree in public safety administration is an academic credential that students can earn at the associate, bachelor's and master's levels. Individuals can get this degree when entering the public safety field or after working in it for several years, including members of law enforcement, fire services or emergency services. The field of public safety involves roles that protect communities from natural disasters, crime and other threats. For students with existing experience, a degree can help them pursue leadership roles and advance their skills.
A public safety administration degree program prepares students for leadership roles in the field. They learn skills, including strategic planning, risk assessment and policy analysis, to help protect and serve communities. After graduation, they may use these skills to develop and implement emergency preparedness or response plans for emergency services departments or government agencies. They can also help manage these departments by overseeing budgets, establishing and enforcing safety regulations and coordinating educational programs for community members.
12 public safety administration degree jobs
If you're thinking about a degree in public safety administration, you may find it helpful to learn about some of the potential career opportunities for graduates. Here's a list of 12 jobs to consider in this field, including their average salaries and typical responsibilities:
National average salary: $32,545 per year
Primary duties: A correctional officer is a law enforcement professional who supervises individuals awaiting trial or in prison or jail. They maintain a safe environment for inmates, colleagues and visitors. Their responsibilities may include monitoring inmates' behavior, transporting individuals to court hearings and inspecting facilities and cells. They may also have administrative duties, such as maintaining accurate records of inmates and facility issues or events. Correctional officers who have a degree in public safety administration may find opportunities to work as federal correctional officers or pursue more advanced roles within their organization.
National average salary: $41,434 per year
Primary duties: An emergency dispatcher works within emergency services departments to receive emergency phone calls and send the appropriate services. These professionals are sometimes called public safety telecommunicators, and earning a degree could help them advance their careers or increase their earning potential. When receiving calls, dispatchers prioritize them by urgency and offer support or life-saving interventions while the caller waits for the response providers to arrive. They also document and maintain records of calls or incidents and coordinate with other emergency services departments as needed for large-scale events.
National average salary: $43,882 per year
Primary duties: An emergency medical technician (EMT) is a medical and public safety professional who provides emergency care to individuals. They respond to the scenes of accidents, natural disasters or injuries and illnesses, often employed by hospitals or emergency services departments. Some public safety administration programs offer emergency services tracks, preparing students with the training and skills required for this role. EMTs help stabilize patients before or during transportation to hospitals for further treatment, and the services they provide can vary on their level of training.
National average salary: $45,134 per year
Primary duties: A public safety officer is responsible for protecting people and property. They can find employment at government facilities or college and university campuses, serving similar roles as police officers. These professionals patrol buildings and grounds, monitor surveillance footage and respond to accidents or emergencies. This role often requires law enforcement and medical training, allowing them to provide first aid as needed and make arrests or detain suspects. When responding to crimes, they may write reports or collaborate with local police departments for investigations.
5. Firefighter
National average salary: $48,517 per year
Primary duties: A firefighter is a public safety professional who extinguishes fires and responds to emergencies. They often have first response training, allowing them to provide medical aid to injured individuals at emergency scenes. Firefighters also visit schools and other organizations to provide fire safety and prevention instruction. Those who earn a public safety administration degree may use this credential to gain management roles at the department. In these roles, they may help hire and train fire service staff and develop departmental budgets.
Read more: Learn About Being a Firefighter
National average salary: $49,751 per year
Primary duties: A security officer is responsible for maintaining a safe environment. These professionals can work for private or public organizations, often patrolling the building and grounds or monitoring surveillance equipment for security issues. They may also check visitors into buildings, inspect and protect entry points and coordinate safety drills. When they apprehend trespassers or suspects, they collaborate with local law enforcement and may assist with investigations. Individuals with a public safety administration degree may advance to management roles where they oversee the operations of an organization's security department.
Read more: Learn About Being a Security Officer
National average salary: $53,312 per year
Primary duties: A police officer is a law enforcement and public safety professional who prevents and investigates crimes in a community. A degree in public safety administration can help these professionals gain promotions or managerial roles in their department, such as sergeant, lieutenant or captain. Police officers respond to emergencies to help protect lives and property, often gathering evidence about incidents, taking statements or interviewing witnesses. When investigating crimes, they may monitor suspects, obtain warrants, perform searches and write reports about their findings.
Read more: Learn About Being a Police Officer
National average salary: $64,170 per year
Primary duties: A safety consultant provides advice to organizations about safety policies and procedures. Individuals with a degree in public safety administration may focus on offering their services to organizations that serve the public rather than private businesses. For example, they may work with emergency services departments to execute strategies to make their processes and responses more efficient or reduce costs. These consultants may review existing policies and procedures, observe staff members and identify potential issues, then research and develop appropriate solutions. They may also provide training to staff members or help implement new systems.
9. Fire marshal
National average salary: $70,300 per year
Primary duties: A fire marshal works for a fire department and is responsible for inspecting buildings and investigating fires. This professional is often appointed or hired by their municipality or fire chief. When performing building inspections, the fire marshal ensures compliance with relevant state and local fire codes and identifies potential fire hazards. They may test fire alarms and sprinklers and evaluate fire evaluation plans during these inspections. During investigations, the fire marshal gathers and analyzes the evidence and determines the cause of the fire, sometimes providing evidence in court or testimonies to aid legal cases.
National average salary: $72,266 per year
Primary duties: An emergency services manager oversees the operations within a community's emergency services office. This department may contain police, fire and other public safety departments. The emergency services manager develops departmental goals, supervises the work performed by public safety officials and coordinates emergency services programs and activities. For example, they may develop emergency preparedness and disaster relief plans for their community, often serving as a safety adviser to local leaders. They may also coordinate emergency and safety training and education opportunities for government staffers and community members.
National average salary: $75,317 per year
Primary duties: A director of security maintains the safety and security of an organization's workforce and assets. They can work for public and private organizations, often overseeing a staff of security professionals. The director of security develops and executes security procedures, delivers and coordinates training and maintains and reviews security records. They may develop reports on their surveillance and records to their organization's management staff and other stakeholders. The director of security may also monitor local and federal regulations, ensuring that the organization's safety and security processes are compliant.
12. Chief of police
National average salary: $96,423 per year
Primary duties: A chief of police is a law enforcement professional who oversees a police department. They're often elected or appointed to this position, and having significant experience and a public safety degree can help them gain promotions toward this role. These professionals hold responsibility for the overall management of the department, including hiring, testing and training police staff. They may collaborate with local politicians, oversee high-level investigations and delegate assignments to the law enforcement officers. As the department's leader, they also monitor performance and implement strategies to keep their community safe.
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Take a minute. Pause, breathe, and reflect.
Limitless mind. Limitless life. Even when we don't feel like it, humans are truly limitless. We have the internal power to manifest great things in our lives but many of us must learn to eliminate the ANTS in our lives. ANTS are Automatic Negative Thoughts.
The way to begin eliminating these thoughts is by acknowledging any negative self-talk when it happens. "I'm not good enough. I'm too skinny or too fat. I can't. I don't have enough money."
We often say these things to ourselves and don't even realize it. So, when it happens, acknowledge it and then, breathe. Breathe in positivity and visualize what you would like to see happen in your life. Release any negative energy and then, Align yourself. Press reset on your thoughts. Think the very opposite of your negative thought or action.
The more you practice mindfulness , the closer you'll be to uncovering your greatest potential!


Fostering unity in diversity while ensuring spaces for disagreement is a key challenge for all liberal democracies with ethnic and religious diversity. Increasing polarization, not least due to the threat of terror attacks, exacerbates this challenge. Drawing on the case of Norway in the aftermath of the 2011 terror attacks motivated by ‘Eurabia’ sentiments, we find that both consensus and contestation are necessary to counter conflictual polarization. Consensus establishes a necessary common ground for interaction, while contestation permits diverging interpretations to emerge. Working with 21 semi-structured interviews with people in influential roles in Norway, we propose an analytical framework that draws on both political theory and empirically based analyses of interaction in diverse societies. We find that consensus-oriented approaches immediately following terror attacks can build unity and bridge divides across existing ethnic, religious, and political diversity. Over time, however, they may contribute to conflict, as they are perceived to conceal underlying disagreements. Perspectives founded on dualistic contestation can also cultivate conflict if opponents increasingly perceive each other as enemies in a hostile environment. A plurality of contestations, by contrast, can de-escalate conflict and thereby ease renewed cooperation. Thus, our findings point to the need for a perspective that transcends the dualism of “us” and “them”, and acknowledges the plurality of human beings in order to de-escalate the spiral of polarization


An unchanged life by Francis Frangipane
The Seeking God
Question: What will happen if, in your spiritual walk, you turn lukewarm instead of steadfastly seeking the Lord? The answer is, nothing will happen. Meteors won’t fall from the sky and hit you. Nothing that is not common to man will happen to you. You will simply remain the same as you have been: unchanging. An unchanged life is judgment enough.
If we don’t steadfastly walk with God, we simply cannot be transformed. Yes, one’s spirit can still be saved even if we have built our lives with “wood, hay and stubble” (1 Cor. 3). But we will have accomplished little toward our eternal destiny. The glory awaiting us will be barely noticeable, a flicker, compared to those who embraced their transformation on earth and now, in eternity, “shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matt. 13:45).
The Almighty doesn’t demand we change. True, He will convict us of sin and push us away from a slope into hell, but He isn’t going to dominate our will or make it impossible to disobey Him. Convictions and warnings from the Spirit will help save us from hell, but they won’t equip us for Heaven.
My point is this: our pursuit of the Lord cannot be motivated simply by fear or relief from a present conflict. The treasure of God’s Presence is the extreme value in all the universe. He must be sought for the incomparable worth of knowing Him for Himself. For this goal we seek Him.
Yet, He also seeks something from us. Does He simply enjoy watching, year after year, billions of humans feeding incessantly upon temporal realities? Or is the Most High seeking something more profound in His creation of man?
Here’s what Jesus taught about the nature of God. He said that the God of creation is a seeking God: He seeks that which was lost; He seeks true worshipers, and He is “like a merchant seeking fine pearls” (Matt. 13:45). We need to understand this about the Lord: He is not seeking the typical, but the valuable. It is in His nature to seek people who, having accepted Christ, now pursue conformity to Him as the central passion of their hearts..
He tests the sincerity of their commitment: will they offer their precious lives to God as followers of Christ? Though they rise and often fail, they do not withdraw. They have purposed to offer to the Father hearts made pure in the fire of His love.
Is this not what the Father should expect, especially since the actual Spirit of His Son dwells within us? Though many are called and few are chosen, yet from those who respond does He not anticipate a reward for His sufferings? That reward is this: that He would see replicated within us the same faith, love, and redemptive nature that Christ Jesus Himself manifest. This is what the Father seeks.
Trained Not Just Saved
“By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:5-6).
It is one thing to believe in Christ, another thing to believe like Him. Jesus said that His goal with us is not only to save our souls, but then to “fully train” us until we are actually “like [our] teacher” (Luke 6:40). This is the holy quest of God; it is the first and eternal purpose of creation: to make man in the image of God (Gen. 1:26).
One may argue: well, I tried to follow Christ but I was hurt (or, I didn’t agree with my church’s doctrines; or, I faced a battle greater than I could handle).
Yes, but without such challenges how will the nature of Christ develop within us? God put us in impossible situations specifically to accommodate our transformation – where we would learn to draw upon the grace and power of His Son. The journey toward Christlikeness will, inevitably, compel us beyond the boundaries of our human nature, and so it should be.
The Father found one pearl of great price in His Son. Yet His heart searches still to see His Son revealed in a many-membered body. He continues today seeking for true worshipers whose hearts stay soft even when conditions are hard. He seeks the precious value of a redeemed people who, when faced with injustice, find greater manifestations of Christ’s love by which they respond. Their hearts are steadfast regardless of delays or trials.
There may be just one individual in a neighborhood or just two in a city that are truly seeking hard after Christ, but these worshipers have attracted the attention of God. They are the salt of the earth. They pursue sonship. They are the focal point of the seeking God.
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In my forty plus years of ministry I have seen many who began the race well, only to stumble over the issues of life and go spiritually dormant. Yet among those who stumbled, there are true sons and daughters, and Jesus promises that a “bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish” (Isa. 42:3). God is calling them back. In spite of their failures, He intends to use them: they will showcase Christ’s grace. For those who have been forgiven much, love much. They will reveal the wonders of Christ’s glory.


Administrator and CEO Mark A. Gabriel sent his quarterly memo to the Secretary of Energy outlining WAPA’s fiscal year 2019 second-quarter performance. The following is a summary of this memo. In 2019, WAPA continues its use of quantifiable performance measures and targets. This provides an opportunity for WAPA to gauge its improvement in key areas, and identify where its attention and efforts can best be focused.
WAPA’s performance targets are designed to both align with Department of Energy strategy and drive strategic direction for the organization. They cascade through WAPA’s performance management process, translating strategy into everyday action and creating a line of sight between employee efforts and overall direction.
Success and progress is measured in four strategic target areas, defined by Strategic Roadmap 2024 and the refreshed Tactical Action Plan.
WAPA monitors its performance and progress in regard to each of these areas, sharing the results on a quarterly basis. Of the 24 performance measures being tracked this fiscal year, six are measured annually due to the nature of the data that supports them.
For Q2, WAPA is reporting 15 measures as green, meaning the target has been met. Three measures are yellow, meaning they are slightly off target. The complete breakdown of key performance measures is below.


BACKGROUND
The ability to pace oneself in any physical activity (whether in training or competition) is critical to achieving successful competition results, as well as training in a fashion conducive to optimal outcomes and minimising the risk of overtraining. For endurance training modalities, developing a pacing strategy is fairly straightforward. In multi-faceted activities such as combat sports, however, the recording activity loads presents a significant challenge. The use of accelerometry is one proposed method of recording activity athletes and subsequently guiding pacing strategies.
METHODS
This current study involved re-analysis of a previous study. Whereas the previous study provided data by individual round, this looked at the data by each individual minute. 6 elite-level male MMA athletes participated in a 5-minute, 3-round sparring session.
Each athlete was fitted with a Minimax X3 110HZ triaxial accelerometer (Catapult innovations) at the T3/4 vertebrae level. The findings from the accelerometer were referenced with time motion analysis camera footage.
FINDINGS Accelerometry was correlated with overall athlete performance as measured by time motion analysis, and was not biased between modalities (grappling vs striking). Accelerometry was not able to distinguish between different intensities of activity. Analysing this data by minute allowed the researchers to identify specific trends in activity: A decline in activity from rounds 1 to 3 A decline in activity from minutes 1 to 4, followed by a spike in activity in minute 5, in the 1st round. A spike in activity in the third round, followed by a decline in activity in the last 2 minutes of round 2. A decline in activity in the last 3 minutes of round 3 Winners displayed superior pacing strategies throughout the bout IMPLICATIONS
Whilst conducted on a relatively small sample size, this study delivered promising results in terms of accelerometry methods being an effective way of tracking player load in mixed martial arts. This technology does, however, need to become more accessible to athletes and gyms before realising widespread use.


3D Microfluidic model for interstitial and intramural flows
Fluid flows in living systems can be broadly classified as intramural flows (flows within blood and lymphatic vessels) and interstitial flows (flows within tissues). Intramural flows cover a wide range of flow speed, from a few micrometers per second in lymphatic capillaries to tens of centimeters per second in arteries. Interstitial flows, driven by the hydrostatic and osmotic pressure differences between the arterial and venous, or arterial and lymphatic capillaries, are typically in the order of a few micrometers per second or Peclet number of about 1 at cell length scale. Interstitial flows have recently demonstrated to influence tumour cells directly via sheer stress, indirectly through matrix rearrangement by fibroblasts and by skewing the chemokine gradients in the ECM.
This work introduces a contact line pinning method to confine hydrogels such as natively derived collagen in a microfluidic channel without walls. By patterning collagen in designated wall-less channels, we demonstrated the generation of intramural flows through a microfluidic channel bounded by a mono-layer of endothelial cells (mimic of a vascular vessel), as well as slow interstitial flows within a cell embedded collagen matrix on the same microfluidic platform. The contact line pinning method ensures the generation of an engineered endothelial tube with straight walls, and spatially uniform interstitial fluid flows through the cell embedded 3D collagen matrix. Using this device, we demonstrated that the breast tumour cells' (MDA-MB-231 cell line) morphology and motility were modulated by the interstitial flows, and the motility of a sub-population of the cells was enhanced by the presence of the flow. The presented microfluidic platform provides a basic framework for studies of cellular behavior including cell transmigration, growth, and adhesion under well controlled interstitial and intramural flows, and within a physiologically realistic 3D co-culture setting.
Confocal (side view) images of the three cell channels. Left image, collagen matrix is introduced into two side cell channels. This configuration is designed for generating an engineered endothelial tube for intramural flow studies. Right image, collagen is introduced in the middle cell channel. This configuration is designed for interstitial flow studies. Scale bar is 100 micrometer
Publications:
1. Chih-kuan Tung, Oleh Krupa, Elif Apyadin, Jr-Jiun Liou, Anthony Diaz-Santana, Beum Jun Kim, and Mingming Wu, A contact line pinning based microfluidic platform for modeling physiological flows, Lab-on-a-chip, 13(19):3876-3885 (2013).
Site created and maintained by Young Joon Suh


PANGKALPINANG, KOMPAS.com – Six tin miners died in a landslide on August 29 in the province of Bangka Belitung, bringing Indonesia's tin mining death toll this year to 16 and sparking renewed calls to correct unsafe industry practices.
The six miners were buried in a landslide as they were mining for tin at a depth of 12 meters. Search and rescue teams recovered their remains the following day.
The tragedy prompted nongovernmental organization Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) to speak out about mining practices in Bangka Belitung.
“State-owned and private mining corporations are responsible for the death [of the miners]. Their demise is caused by human rights violations that plague the tin mining industry,” Walhi executive director Jessix Amundian told Kompas.com.
“Deaths from unsafe conditions and environmentally hazardous mining practices are both sides of the same coin.”
Jessix noted that 16 miners, at least one of whom was a minor, have died mining for tin between January and August 2020.
“Forty miners have died [in mining accidents] between 2017 and 2019. The fact that these deaths continue to occur reflects the poor management of tin mining [in Bangka Belitung].”
Jessix also deplored the disregard for these statistics and the lax enforcement of environmental audits and mining practices.
She called for the mining corporations that sponsored the mining, processing and sale of tin to be accountable for their actions, which are motivated by economic gain without regard for the environment or public safety.
Walhi noted that 611 mining companies control 1,261,316 hectares out of Bangka Belitung’s 1,642,423 hectares of land, 68 percent of which are controlled by large corporations.
The NGO estimated that Bangka Belitung lost more than 320,000 hectares of arable land and forests to mining over the past 10 years. They noted that deforestation for mines has left the province vulnerable to floods, drought and other natural disasters.
Bangka Belitung has been known for its abundant tin reserves even before Indonesia's independence in 1945.
(Writer: Heru Dahnur | Editors: Abba Gabrillin, Khairina) Source:


Hunger in America is on the rise due to factors like inflation, food supply chain delays and the impending end of pandemic-era social safety net programs. In response, families have turned to food banks, which unfortunately has pushed programs nationwide to ration supplies and reduce services.
Hoping to stave off the impact of the growing shortage, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has committed to providing close to $2 billion in funding to food banks and school meal programs for purchasing American-grown foods.
Families across the U.S. are struggling to afford their basic needs. According to The Washington Post, recent census data shows that 24.5 million Americans report sometimes or often not having enough to eat in the week between July 27 and August 8. That's a significant increase from last December and the previous year, which were 21 million and 18 million respectively.
To further illustrate the issue, the latest Feeding America survey reveals that 40% of member food banks experienced an increase from June to July of people served. Additionally, even with unemployment low, the need for food hasn't reduced in months. Of the $2 billion, 1.5 will be donated to food banks.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack shares the department's findings, "In talking to food banks and pantries across the country, here's what we hear. Demand is high, in terms of their need, costs have increased, labor — whether paid or volunteer — is a struggle and donations have tapered off because people think the pandemic is in the rearview mirror."
The remaining $500 million is to be donated to schools for purchasing food for lunch and breakfast programs. Students were given free school meals without having to apply during the pandemic. That was due to the emergency climate, which saw the federal government giving more money to school nutrition programs. Unfortunately, that emergency service has ended.
As mentioned, there are numerous causes behind the growing food shortage. Jason Jakubowski, Chief Executive of Connecticut Foodshare in Wallingford, Connecticut says food bank donations are down, supplies are more expensive and need has increased.
"Anecdotally, what we hear is it’s largely due to inflation – that's the biggest concern people have. We do know that spending $16 million a year in food purchases is unsustainable," Jakubowski said.
In pre-pandemic times, around 70% of the food distribution was donated. Food donations are currently at 55% and food banks are using cash reserves more heavily which has impacted operating costs. Adding to the challenges are rising food prices. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there's been an 11.4 percent price increase over the past year.
The household staple peanut butter perfectly illustrates the rising food cost. Every few weeks, Connecticut Foodshare runs through a trailer-load of peanut butter. 34,560 households receive a jar each and today, it costs $7,000 more for a trailer-load than it did 16 months ago.
Despite the increase, people need to eat in order to survive. Vilsack states that each state will allocate the funds received to schools based on student enrollment, with a set minimum per district, ensuring small schools aren't left behind.
At the end of the calendar year, schools will be able to use the money they receive to place orders and deliveries to food banks will occur throughout fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
When millions are in need, the best course of action is always complicated and requires thorough consideration. Issues like these are rarely solved completely, but rather on-going and shift as the state of need changes. For more information on USDA's $2 billion funding efforts read here.


Increased stress levels, unhealthy habits, and a preference for junk food all have a significant impact on our health. As a result, a lot of major health complications have arisen. And losing hair at a rapid rate is one of them. Dr. G. K. Sharma, among the leading hair transplant specialists in India, says that the…


Abstrakti
Background: The best-known symptoms of coeliac disease are related to the gastrointestinal tract, but the disease may also present with various systemic manifestations outside the intestine. Some of these consequences may remain permanent in undiagnosed individuals or if the diagnostic delay is prolonged. However, for many of the systemic manifestations, the scientific evidence remains scant and contradictory. Aims and Methods: We conducted a narrative review of the most thoroughly studied and clinically relevant systemic consequences of coeliac disease, especially those that could be prevented or alleviated by early diagnosis. The review is intended particularly for physicians encountering these patients in daily clinical practice. Results: The possible systemic consequences of coeliac disease extend to multiple organ systems, the best studied of which are related to skeletal, reproductive, cardiovascular and neurological systems. Furthermore, the disease is associated with an elevated risk of psychiatric comorbidities, non-Hodgkin lymphomas and intestinal adenocarcinoma. Conclusions: The various systemic consequences of coeliac disease play a significant role in the overall health of patients. Early diagnosis and treatment with a gluten-free diet appear to be beneficial for most, but not all of these conditions. The possible negative metabolic and psychosocial effects of the diet should be acknowledged during follow-up.
Julkaisufoorumi-taso Jufo-taso 2 !!ASJC Scopus subject areas Hepatology Gastroenterology Pharmacology (medical)